Deadly Love
by Yuule
Summary: He'd do anything to save Kikyou from a marriage she hadn't wanted. He'd even perform a ritual, and fight a man to the death. Fantasy/Action


He knew that what he was doing was considered wrong and could possibly land his neck below the executioner's blade but he'd read every law carefully and found that it was possible. It was possible to marry the love of his life, the Princess of Kethina, if he fought her fiancé. The law was one typically left out of law books issued to peasants such as himself but upon reading the law books in the church, he'd found it.

_If a person of lower standing wishes to marry one of higher standing that is already engaged, they may challenge the fiancé to a weapon-less duel. Should the challenger come out the winner, he may marry the one of higher standing. Should he not, he will be executed the following morning at dawn. _

It was dangerous and any coward would not do it but Inuyasha would do anything for Kikyou. He'd die for her and he'd fight for her, no matter how much she protested. He would not allow her to marry Hojo, that monster that had forced him to flee his own lands long before, forcing him to take on a human guise and live the life of a peasant.

Now all he had to do was awaken his power.

He'd done all the research he could, looking up ancient rituals of awakening strength. He'd found one, one that took place on winter solstice. It was perfect, no one would be at the cross roads currently, they'd be in town, celebrating the approaching marriage between the King of Huilo and the Princess of Kethina. The marriage he'd be putting an end to.

Inuyasha slipped out of the town square, heading north to the crossroads. Along the way, he grabbed Hojo's white stallion that was tied to a post near the Mokono, a bar he found himself at quite often. It was perfect; the ritual did require a stallion.

The scenery rushed by in a blur as he rode the stallion. It was wild but being rather clever, he'd managed to gain another spell in which he used to bewitch the creature. Dirty but it worked, so why not? Sometimes you had to do what you had to do. And he had to save Kikyou from marrying Hojo, one way or another.

He slipped off the stallion, patting it's neck softly and looking into its big black eyes.

"Sorry boy but I gotta do this."

"Neigh," was the stallion's replied.

From his pocket, he produced a wicked looking dagger. A blade made of pure silver, a banned substance in all the lands, including Kethina. It was curved, the edges jagged and deadly sharp. It had been in his family for thousands of years, a royal heirloom. When he'd been forced to abandon Huilo years ago, he'd grabbed the dagger. He'd heard that Hojo was still looking for it and him, intent on placing his head on the chopping block. Possibly, if this failed, he'd be there. If it didn't, then Inuyasha would sentence Hojo to death. Damn all the treaties.

With a swift movement, Inuyasha shoved the blade into the stallion's side, watching, as the red liquid died its snowy body blood red. He watched in silence as the shimmering light left the horse's eyes, momentarily wondering what had ever happened to his half-brother when their father had exiled him. Had the snowy man survived in the state of madness he'd descended to or had he ended up on the other side of a blade, his or someone else's. Inuyasha would have to look into that when he married Kikyou.

Shaking himself from his contemplations, Inuyasha pulled out the mint leaves and scattered them over the horse's corpse. Kneeling down, Inuyasha sighed, closing his eyes and began to chant.

"_Daxavadaok kohark, nav kudladado da avai. Brokk no vadh dho kdlovkdh da naxo dho nakhdav naivduavk, khav da no dho dailuko av dho hould ad dho laulavk raav. Tlikd av no, dho ukaradav da lokuav dho dhavkk I'xo rakd, khav no dho kudh I alakavurrav darravok; dho kudh ad dho hola."_

He chanted it over and over until he felt a warmth spread over his form. It went from mild warmth to a searing burning sensation. It was agony! But as this happened, he didn't know how, but he felt the strength of the hanyou lying dormant inside him awake, regaining its consciousness and its own form. His hair started turning grey and then white at his roots, slowly making it down his waist length hair. A painful sensation took over his ears as they morphed from rounded human ears on the side of his head, to triangular dog-ears atop his hair. His fangs elongated, making tiny, dangerous points. His fingernails suddenly burned, as they lengthened into hazardous claws. His eyes went from dirt brown to brilliant gold, shining like the sun in the noonday sky.

He was himself once more.

"Thanks guys," he whispered before pulling himself into a standing position. He looked regal yet rough, not wimpy anymore. He stood like the fallen King he was, not the peasant he pretended to be for the sake of safety. He yanked the dagger from the horse, a satisfying ripping sound as it tore apart the muscles in the stallion.

He stuffed the dagger back into his pocket, patted the dead stallion one last time and made his way back to the festival, intent on fighting for his beloved; Kikyou.

* * *

Hojo growled, looking at the empty spot where'd he tied up his horse. Where the fuck had it gone? Anger resonated in his soul. Whoever had done this was a dead man. Hojo had loved that horse.

"Yo, Hojo," he turned to see the most annoying peasant in the world: Inuyasha. What did he want?

"I'm busy, leave me," he said in an eloquence that most didn't think him capable of. Most thought of Hojo as a bumbling fool with no ability what so ever to wield a sword. Most people who had the audacity to say that to his face however, met quite a bloody end.

"Actually Hojo, I have a challenge for you."

"I'm listening." What was Inuyasha thinking? Challenge him? For what?

"I challenge you for the Princess's hand."

Anyone nearby stopped what they were doing and stared at the two with wide eyes. Their thoughts all echoed the same questions. Why did Inuyasha want the princess? What would Hojo do? Was this even legal?

'_How does a peasant know?' _Hojo thought furiously. Once his marriage to the princess had been confirmed, he'd done all the research he could on Kethina and its laws. When it had come to marriage, there had been many laws.

One can only marry one of the opposite gender.

Widows may not marry.

Men are the one to initiate the marriage.

Woman may not turn down a marriage request.

One of lower standing could challenge one of higher standing for a woman's hand.

That one law he'd heard was left out of many of the law books given to commoners. The king, a tyrant in every meaning of the word, did not want for any peasant blood mixing with noble blood. Hojo could understand this, he didn't want for any demon blood to mix with human blood. That was why he'd made it so that demons could be nothing but slaves, running off the previous ruler of his kingdom, a hanyou.

Now he was face to face with Inuyasha, the peasant and previous king. Damn, he was about to get his ass handed to him.

"Well, _hanyou_, it seems you read up on your laws." Hojo's mouth curled into a snarl of disgust. "Meaning that you know I cannot turn down you challenge or else you win by forfeit. You should also know that weapons are not allowed and should you lose, you die at dawn."

"Keh, 'course I do."

"Well then, I guess we should begin. How about the arena?"

"Fine with me, just as long as you know I'm gonna serve your ass on a silver platter."

Hojo looked away in revulsion, could one be any less crude? Or arrogant? To be frank, yes, Inuyasha had a much higher chance of winning but still, there was a chance for himself to win as well.

Inuyasha could hardly believe it; he actually had managed to challenge Hojo. He'd get Kikyou and his kingdom back, and all he had to do was kill a guy he'd dreamed of maiming for years. For years, Inuyasha had imagined sharpening his claws on the bones of the man who'd stolen everything from him. He had imagined eating under the full moon, the broiled heart of his greatest foe. Never had he thought he would ever get that chance though, but here he was, about to get all of that.

Lost in thought, he hadn't realized that now he stood in the Arena, an official naming off the rules of this fight to the contestants and watchers.

"Neither opponent is allowed a weapon or armor. The loser will either be knocked out or killed and the winner will be given the hand of Kethina's one and only living princess."

Inuyasha looked up to the announcer. Beside him was Kikyou, decked out in her royal garments, fear filling her grayish eyes. She was worried about him he could smell it. Inuyasha turned his attention back to Hojo as the announcer's speech came to an end.

"Foolish hanyou," he heard Hojo whisper under his breath. Inuyasha ignored it, opting to charge at him.

Hojo barely had time to side step, the hanyou's claws swinging down where he had been. Inuyasha swung again, ripping Hojo's shirt but not drawing blood.

'_Fast on his feet.'_

Inuyasha knew he had to step it up if he wanted this to end quickly but the years of pent up anger and hatred also made him want to draw the fight out, making Hojo suffer.

"Can't get me can ya, hanyou?" Hojo taunted. Inuyasha had stopped suddenly as if he was stuck in thought. Hojo didn't wish to drag this out to long and seeing as his death was upon him, he just wished to speed things up.

Swish!

Hojo was on his knees, holding his bleeding side. The injury wasn't too bad, as if the hanyou was holding back, but it still stung. Inuyasha towered over the man, waiting to see if Hojo would do anything.

And he did.

He knew it was dirty but he could feel the instinct to survive rising up inside. Hojo and the commoners watched as Inuyasha fell to his own knees, gripping his crotch. Oh yeah, Hojo had hit him _there_.

Hojo stood, trying to ignore the aching of his wound, and ran to the side of the arena. If he could put enough distance between him and the fallen king, perhaps he could dodge until the hanyou tired.

Inuyasha let out a low, menacing growl. He stood, his eyes glowing red and a purple, jagged stripe on each cheek glowed faintly. He looked absolutely feral and completely demonic.

Hojo knew it; he knew that he was dead. Well, his plan was outright garbage now that Inuyasha had wholly lost himself. Damn, why were the fates so cruel.

"Karma's a bitch," Inuyasha garbled out. Growling again, the hanyou-turned-youkai lunged at Hojo, fully intent on delivering a deathblow.

Hojo honestly did his best to run but as a full youkai, Inuyasha was quick and he had no desire to play with him. He barely recognized that Inuyasha's hand had been shoved threw his chest, let alone feel the pain before Inuyasha squished his heart. Hojo's eyes rolled into the back of his head, signifying the end of his life.

The crowd did not clap and nor did it cheer. In their hearts, they'd hoped for Hojo to come out on top but not only did that not happen, but they had forced themselves to watch the brutal end of the late fiancé to their princess.

Slowly, Inuyasha returned to his hanyou self. His red eyes turned gold and the stripes disappeared. He looked down at his blood-sodden form and the crushed heart in his hand.

He had won.

Inuyasha looked up to where the announcer and princess sat. The announcer was completely shocked, not a peep falling from his wide-open mouth. The princess was shocked as well, fear lacing her beautiful scent. What?

Inuyasha dropped the heart and walked to the exit. The guards were quick to roll open the gate and let him out, fearing that they could end up like Hojo. Inuyasha then made his way to wear his princess was. The guards stepped aside, allowing him to pass through and to the princess. The whole of Kethina now watched the ensuing events.

"Princess…"

"I can't believe it," her stormy eyes filled with tears. "I'm marrying a monster."

She broke down into heartbreaking sobs. Inuyasha hugged her to him even though he was covered in blood and she had just called him a monster. She sobbed long and hard, causing others in the audience who weren't wondering about the fate of Kethina to break into sobs.

"W-We ha-have a winner," the announcer said although everyone already knew this. Hojo's crumpled body was enough evidence.

* * *

Inside the study at the palace, Inuyasha wrote something down on one of the scrolls with his left hand. The queen sat nearby, holding a blanket in her left hand and sewing with her right. The blanket was in the colors of Kethina, something that every child was gifted upon their birth. She was round with Inuyasha's child.

"Inuyasha," she said in a half whisper. "Why don't you believe me when I say that Kikyou is dead? You've seen her gravestone, you were even at the funeral. Why do you insist that I, Kagome am Kikyou?" Her eyes flicked to her right momentarily.

His eyes flicked to his left. "Because Kikyou, you _aren't_ Kagome."

* * *

Well? I'd love some feedback.

That part where Inuyasha chants, this is what he says:

Divinities behold, my sacrifice to you. Bless me with the strength to move the mighty mountains, show to me the courage in the heart of the roaring lion. Trust in me, the ability to regain the things I've lost, show me the path I originally followed; the path of the hero.

For the record, yes Kagome is Kagome, not Kikyou though Inuyasha refuses to admit that. He is content with pretending she is he dead lover.

Questions:

1. How was the fight scene?

2. How did this make you feel?

3. What did you think of Inuyasha? As in, did you fear him or sympathize with him?

4. Why do you think he refuses to admit that Kikyou is dead?

5. If you realized that Kikyou was Kagome before being told, when did you realize this?

6. If you were a villager and this happened, how would it make you feel?

-Yuule


End file.
